asked the Minister for Transport the safeguards utilised by his Department to control shipping carrying dangerous cargoes, entering or passing through Irish territorial waters.

The carriage of dangerous goods in ships registered in the State and other ships while they are within any port in the State, or are embarking or disembarking passengers within the territorial waters of the State, or are loading or discharging cargo or fuel within those waters is governed by section 38 of the Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) Act, 1952 and the Merchant Shipping (Dangerous Goods) Rules, 1967 and 1968.

For the purpose of the application of these statutory requirements, the detailed provisions of the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, published by the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation have been approved.

The object of these provisions is the protection and safety of vessels and of all persons aboard them against any hazard which might arise from the carriage of dangerous goods, through detailed requirements in regard to labelling, marking, packaging and stowing of goods on board a vessel.